Clock case or similar structure



April 8 1924.

D. ZAIDEN CLOCKCASE 0R SIMILAR STRUCTURE Filed July 24. 1923 BY I mm m&. m Q m provements Patented Apr. 8, 1924.

UNITED STATES DAVID ZAIDEN, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

cLocK CASE on smILA n saamczruarz.

Application I filed 'Ju1y'i24, i923. "Serial 1%.- 653,427.

To all whom it may camera:

'Be it known thatI, DAVIDZAIDEN, a citi zen of Russia, residing at Brooklyn, in the county "of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain. new and useful :Im-

, in Clock Cases or Similar Structures; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had-to the accompanying drawings, and to characters of reference marked thereon, which form a part "of this specification.

This invention relates, generally, to improvements in the construction of cases for clocks, radio apparatus and similar devices.

The invention has for its principal object to provide an improved construction of me tallic casing comprised of but few parts, adapted to be assembled; and secured together in a manner, and with necessity of using but a minimum of fastening elements. The novel construction of casing is such that a great variety of shapes maybe employed, and particularly shapes possessing graceful and pleasing curves; and, furthermore, the construction is such that the cases-may be made to simulate in appearance expensive wood casings such as are usually employed for clocks and similar devices.

Other objects of this invention, not at this time more particularly enumerated, will be clearly understood from the following detailed description of the same.

WVith the various objects of this invention in view, the same consists, primarily, in the novel construction and arrangement of casing for clocks and the like hereinafter set forth; and the invention consists, furthermore. in the novel. arrangements and combinations of the various devices and parts, as well as in the details of the construction of the same, all of which will be hereinafter more fully described, and then finally embodied in the claims appended to this specification. I

The invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in Wl'llCh.I

Figure 1 is a front elevation of one form of the novel construction of casing for clocks and the like, made according to and embodying the principles of this invention; Figure "2 a longitudinal vertical of the same; Figure 3 is a transverse vertical section, taken on line 33 in Figure 1; F gure 4 1s a transverse vertical section,

Figure 5 is a fragmentary transverse sec- :t onthroughr the top of the case, said view being drawn on an enlargedscale.

Similar characters of reference are employed :inall of the hereinabove described views, to indicate corresponding parts.

Referring now to said drawings, the ref erence character 1 indicates the base portion of the novel casing. Said base portion is preferably made of sheet metal, which is pressed out by suitable dies to provide a downwardly projecting marginal flange .2 which may be suitably shaped to provide any desired ornamental molding effect. .The main body of said base portion 1 is downwardly off-set or depressed to provide an upstanding marginal head 3 extending around the edges of the base at the juncture of said base and its flange 2, thereby providing a seat 4 for receiving the superstructure of the casing.

The reference character 5 indicates a topplate. This top-plate is also made of sheet metal, and may bebent to follow a curvi linear or angular plane, as the case may be to produce desired ornamental configuration or conformation of the top outline of the casing. In the illustration of my invention as embodied in the drawings, the said top-plate is preformed to provide a roundedcentral portion of apex, fromcach side of which extend graceful downwardly and longitudinally flowing cynia curves. The longitudinal marginal edges of said topplate 5 have integrally formed in connection therewith downwardly projecting rim heads 6 of convex shape in cross section. Connected with each end of said top-plate 5 is an inwardly projecting horizontal bottom flange or foot piece 7. Secured within the angles formed at the juncture of said topplate with each bottom flange or foot piece 7 'isga wooden block or anchor piece 8.

The reference character 9 indicates a front plate the upper edgeof which possesses a marginal shape conforming and corresponding to theshape of said topplate 5, while its bottomedge is straight and adapted to engage with the main body of the base 1. Said front plate may be made of sheet metal, fibre 'board,;wood or anyethersuitable material, and the same is provided with. a suitably disposed opening 10 to receive and expose a clock or other desired mechanism or device desired to be mounted and assembled with said casing. A

The reference character 11 indicates a back plate, the upper edge of which also possesses a marginal shape conforming and corresponding to the shape of said top plate 5, while its bottom edge is straight and adapted to engage with the main body of the base 1. Said back plate may likewise be made of sheet metal, fibre board, wood or any other suitable material, and the same may be provided with a suitably disposed opening 12 giving access to the interior of the casing, which opening may be closed by a suitable cover plate 13.

In assembling the base 1, top plate 5, and front and back plates 9 and 11 together, said front plate 9 is assembled with said topplate' s that its upper edge engages the underside of said top-plate. with the marginal portions of said upper edge stopped against the rim head 6 at one side of said top-plate, and thus held against outward displacement. In like manner, said back plate 11 is assembled with said top-plate so that its upper edge engages the underside of said top plate. with the marginal portions of said upper edge stopped against the 11m bead 6 at the opposite side of said top-plate, and thus held against outward displacement. \ldren the front and back plates 9 and ll are thus sembled with the top-plate I insert between the inner sides of said front and back plate, and against the under surface or the topplate, a sheet of corrugated paper or the like which is longitudinafil lexible, which provides a combined lining member and keeper means 1%, and which serves to hold said front and back members spaced at art and firmly placed against the respective rim beads 6 of the top-plate 5, and thus stopped against inward displacement. This lining member and keeper means 1 1, it made of corrugated paper, should have the corrugations thereof running transversely, so that while the same is free to flex in a longitudinal direction, it still and non-llexible in a lateral direction. It is preferable that the width of said lining member and keeper means, should be slightly greater than the width of the space intern'iediate the back and front plates 9 and 11 when the same are assembled with the top-plate so that when forced between the former and against the underside of the latter, the longitudinal edges thereof will be compelled to make a strong frictional engagement or contact with the inner sides of the front and back plates. and thus assure the secure holding of said lining member and keeper means against downward displacement from the above described operative assembled position there of. By reason of the art that d ining member and keeper means is longitiuliually flexible, the same may 01;: ily be caused to conform to any irrr or curvilinear shape presented by the under side of the topplate Another advantage of the lining member and keeper means is, that it serves to nmfile metallic sounds or ringing of the metallic casing it the laitcr is accidentally struck.

The assembled top-plate and trout and back plates are now ready to be mounted on the base. and the dimensions of the under side of t id assembled structure is such that it will be received within the marginal bead ot' the base 1 in such manner that the bot tom edges ol' the front and back plates and the underside of the bottom-flanges or toot pieces 7 ot' the top-plate will engage the base 1, and the structure will be stopped aga nstoutward displacement from the hi 1, in all directions, by the surrounding marginal head 3 0t said base 1. In order to secure said assembled casing structure to the base the body the latter and the overlying cot-pieces 7 are pierced to receive tastcnmg screws l5, which are screwed up into the blocks or anchor pieces 8, thus holding all .arts together in complete assembled relaion. For the purpose of retaining the ower edges of the trout and back plates against inward buckling or displacement, I insert therebctween, so as to lie on said base 1 the keeper members 16, which are pretrably made of corrugated paper, and which are frictionally held in place in the same manner as already described in connection with the lining member and keeper means 14:.

As shown in the drawings, when the novel casing is used as a clock ease. the clock mechanism 17 is supported in connection with the opening 10 ot the front plate, with the body of the clock mechanism disposed within the casing. and the clock dial facing outwardly trom said opening 10. Of course, it will be understood, that the casing may be employed to house other mechanisms beside clocks, such e. g. as radio apparatus, meters, or sci eutiiic iustrun'icnts of various kinds.

From the above description it will be clearly evident, that this invention provides a novel casing: structure of very simple character, the elements of which interlock themselves together in assembled relation with necessity for using but a minimum number of: mechanical fastening elements such as the screws 15. The structure is therefore cheap to produce, but is nevertheless of very tine appearance, comparable, in

respectto appearance, with the expensive wood joinery produced by the cabinet makers art. The structure in principle, lends itself to reproduction in various ornamental shapes and contours, so that I do not limit myself to the exact ornamental shape of easing as illustrated in the accom-' panying' drawings.

I claim 1. In a device of the kind described, a base-portion, a top-plate having depending stop-beads along its longitudinal edges and inturned foot pieces at its respective ends, a front plate, a back plate,-said front and back plates having their upper edges conformed to the contour of said top-plate and stopped against outward displacement by said top-plate stop beads and their bottom edges conformed to thesurface of said baseportion, a combined lining and keeper means engaged against the underside of saidtop plate intermediate said front and back plates having its longitudinal edges in frictional engagement with the latter, and means for fastening said foot pieces of said top plate to said base-portion.

2. In a device of the kind described, a base-portion, a top-plate having depending stop-beads along its longitudinal edgesand inturned foot pieces at its respective ends, a front plate, a back plate, said front and back plates having their upper edges conformed to the contour of said top-plate and stopped against outward displacement by said top-plate stop beads and their bottom edges conformed to the surface of said baseportion, a combined lining and keeper means engaged against the underside of said topplate intermediate said front and back plates having its longitudinal edges in frictional engagement with the latter, anchor blocks embraced within the angle of said top-plate and its foot pieces, and fastening screws passing through said base portion and footpieces into said anchor blocks.

3. In a device of the kind described, a base-portion, a top-plate having depending stop-beads along its longitudinal edges and inturned foot pieces at its respective ends, a front plate. a back plate, said front and back plates having their upper ed es conformed to the contour of said top-pIate and stopped against outward displacement by said top plate stop beads and their bottom edges conformed to the surface of said baseportion, a combined lining and keeper means engaged against the underside of said top plate intermediate said front and back plates having its longitudinal edges in frictional engagement with the latter, means for fastening said foot pieces of said top-plate to said base-portion, and keeper means can gaged upon said base portion intermediate said front and back-plates having the side longitudinal edges thereof in frictional engagement with the latter.

4. In a device of the kind described, a base-portion, a top-plate having depending stop beads along its longitudinal edges inturned foot pieces at its respective ends, a

front plate, a back plate, said front and back plates having their upper edges con formed to the contour of said top-plate and stopped against outward displacement by said top plate stop beads and their bottom edges conformed to the surface of said baseportion, a combined lining and keeper means engaged against the underside of said topplate intermediate said front and back plates having its longitudinal edges in frictional engagement with the latter, anchor blocks embraced within the angle of said top-plate and its foot pieces, and fastening screws passing through said base portion and foot pieces into said anchor blocks, and keeper means engaged upon said base portion intermediate said front and back plates having the side longitudinal edges thereof in frictional engagement with the latter.

5. In a device of the kind described, a base portion having an upstanding marginal bead, a metallic top-plate having de' pending stop beads along its longitudinal edges and inturned foot pieces at its respective ends, a front-plate, a back plate, said front and back plates having their upper edges conformed to the contour of said top plate and stopped against outward displacement by said top plate stop beads and their bottom edges conformed to the surface of said base portion and stopped against outward displacement by said portion head, a longitudinally flexible combined lining and keeper means made of transversely corrugated paper engaged against the underside of said top plate intermediate said front and back plate having its longitudinal edges in frictional engagement with the latter, the ends of said top plate being stopped against outward displacement by said base portion bead, and means for fastening said foot pieces of said top plate to said base portion. 6. In a device of the kind described, a base portion having an upstanding marginal head, ametallic top-plate having depending stop heads along its longitudinal edges and inturned foot pieces at its respective ends, a front plate, a back plate, said front and back plateshaving their upper edges conformed to the contour of said top-plate and stopped against outward displacement by said top plate stop beads and their bottom edges conformed to the surface of said base portion and stopped against outward displacement by said base portion head, a longitudinally flexible combined lining and keeper means made of transversely corrugated paper engaged against the under side of said top plate intermediate said front and back plate having its longitudinal edges in frictional engagement with the latter, the ends of said top plate being stopped against outward displacement by said base portion bead, means for fastening said foot pieces of said top plate to said base portion, anchor blocks embraced within the angle of said top plate and its foot pieces, and fastening screws passing through said base portion and foot pieces into said anchor blocks.

7. In a device of the kind described, a base portion having an upstanding marginal bead, a metallic top-plate having depending stop beads along its longitudinal edges and intr led foot pieces at its respective ends, a front plate, a back plate, said front and back plates having their upper edges conformed to the contour of said top-plate ane stopped against outward displacement by said top plate stop beads and their bottom edges conformed to the surface of said base portion and stopped against outward displacement by said base portion bead, a longitudinally flexible combined lining and keeper means made of transversely corrugated paper engaged against the under side of said top plate intermediate said front and back plate having its longitudinal edges in frictional engagement with the latter. the ends of said top plate being stopped against outward dis i lacement by said base portion bead, and keeper means engaged upon said base portion intermediate said front and back plates having the side longitudinal edges thereof in frictional engagement with the latter.

8. In a device of the kind described, a base portion having an upstanding marginal bead, metallic top-plate having depending stop he along longitudinal edges and inturned foot pieces at its respective ends. a front. plate, a back plate, said front and back plates having their upper edges conformed to the contour of said top-plate and stopped against outward displacement by said top plate stop beads and their bottom edges conrormed to the surface of said base portion and stopped against outward displacement by said base portion head, a longitudi nallv flexible combined lining and keeper means made of transversely corrugated paper engaged against the under side of said top plate intermediate said frontand back plate having its longitudinal edges in frictional engagement with the latter, the ends of said top plate being stopped against outward displacement by said base portion bead, means for fastening said foot pieces of said top plate to said base portion, anchor blocks embraced within the angle of said top plate and its foot pieces, and fas tening screws pas ing through said base portion and foot pieces into said anchor blocks, and keeper means engaged upon said base portion intermediate said front and back plates having the side longitudinal edges thereof in frictional engagement with the latter.

9, In a clock case or the like, a longitudinally curvilinear metallic top-plate having depending stop beads along its longitudinal edges, a front plate a back plate, said front and back plates having curvilinear upper edges conformed to the shape of said top plate and engaged against the underside of the latter with their marginal portions stopped against outward displacement by said stop beads, and a combined lining and keeper means engaged against the underside of said top plate intermediate said front and back plates having its longitudinal edges in frictional engagement with the latter.

10. In a clock case or the like, a longitudinally curvilinear metallic top-plate having depending stop beads along its longitudinal edges, a front plate, a back plate, said front and back plates having curvilinear upper edges conformed to the shape of said top plate and engaged against the underside of the latter with their marginal portions stopped against outward displacement by said stop beads, and alongitudinally flexible lining and keeper means made of trans versely corrugated paper inserted between said front and back plates and against the underside of said top-plate.

In testimony that I claim the invention set forth above, I have hereunto set my hand this th day of July, 1923.

DAVID ZAIDEN.

Witnesses Gnonon D. Riel-mans. Maison M. Baum. 

